Tips for Business Travelers

If you travel a lot for business, then chances are that things were rougher in the beginning, when you first started flying for your job, than they are now, after months or years of perfecting the art of business travel. What did you learn? What did you fix? What solutions did you come up with to make your life a bit easier while out on the road?

Most travelers who spend tons of times in airports or on the road for business say the number one problem is sleep. Whether it’s sleeping on the plane and not feeling rested, adjusting or not adjusting to new time zones, or just spending too much time away from home and family, discovering tips and clues from other travelers, in order to mitigate the problems of life lived in other cities and countries, can make things that much easier.

How do you pack? From all the research we did, 9/10 travel tips for business people involve packing light, and packing smart. What if you’re weighed down with a bunch of pop up displays for trade shows? How much clothing, how many pairs of shoes, how many bathroom articles can you really afford to bring? Finding a great solution to the problem of traveling too heavy means: pack the essentials, and wear the rest.

Put on your blazer, your slacks or pants, a dress shirt and the pair of shoes you plan on wearing the most, or the ones that are the bulkiest. Think hard about what will be available for purchase in the city where you’re traveling to, or even in the hotel shop, and take those things like toothpaste out of your travel hear. Pack under garments, tee shirts and socks, and leave the rest at home.

Things Not to Do When on Business Travel

Don’t forget about converting power — if you plan on getting work done in a foreign country, several companies offer power converters to ensure that you won’t miss a beat when you head off on international travel. Don’t forget to pack sunglasses, especially if you live in a rainy city and are traveling away from home. The glare and extra light from a sunny city that you haven’t seen for a while can be murder on the eyes. Don’t forget your business assets for meeting. It’s not easy to find a place to do large format printing when you’re in a foreign land, so don’t forget to pack the essentials, like meeting notes, displays or digital files for presentations.

Consider the sleeping aid options. If warm milk is enough to do the trick, then you’re lucky, and all you have to do is remember to pick a bottle up at the store, or order it from room service. If you’re not that lucky, then consider things like Tylenol PM, or even Melatonin. Fast-tracking yourself into the new time zone, and forcing yourself to sleep when it’s nighttime and dark where you are can be the magical answer to a restful night and a productive trip.

Don’t get lazy with expenses! If you have a business credit card, excellent — use it and use it wisely. If you don’t, then make sure to keep your receipts for an expense report, either through your company or later in the year for your taxes. If you plan on traveling abroad, consider taking a minute to call your credit card company, to notify them that you’ll be abroad, where and what dates, and that you’ll likely be using the card. The last thing you want to have happen, is to travel to a far away land, and then find that the security steps have been enacted on your credit card to prevent what they think is “fraud,” only to find your card has been rendered useless by accident.

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